Star
by BrujitaGuerita
Summary: Star, an American witch, moves to England. She vows to hate everything and everyone there, but gets more than she bargains for when she moves in next-door to Draco Malfoy (who is determined to win her). A battle of wills ensues, and sparks fly!!!
1. The Window

Part 1  
  
Star Sumner scowled out of the open window of her new room. 'This is the 7th time,' she thought darkly. 'The 7th freaking time dad's made us move…'  
  
She had had a great group of friends at her old school, Thunderbird Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Arizona, she had had a wonderful boyfriend, Alex…Why did her dad have to go and ruin her life yet again??? Did she not have any say whatsoever in what happened in her own life??  
  
Star was sick and tired of moving. Her dad was an IMVE (International Magical Vehicle Engineer) who worked for a large, well-known company called IreCore, who seemed to delight in moving her family all over. Now they had moved them to England. –England, of all places! England-where the weather sucked, the food was lousy, and the guys were all fruitcakes-not to mention ugly.  
  
Their new house was on the rich side of a wizarding town. As she continued to gaze out of the window, her attention was drawn to a window in the huge house next-door as it opened. A boy with white-blond hair and a pale face about her age appeared at it. The boy leaned out and grinned.  
  
"Hello!" he called out to her in a friendly voice.  
  
Under different circumstances, Star would have thought the boy was rather good-looking, and would have been happy to strike up a conversation with him. But at the present moment, however, Star hated everything about this boy, right down to the navy-blue robes he wore. She glared bloody swords at him, and, with a snotty "Shaddup." slammed the window shut, and drew the curtains closed. She turned from the window, feeling wickedly satisfied.  
  
A soft knock sounded on Star's closed door.  
  
"What?" she demanded coldly. The door opened, and her mother stepped inside.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" she said brightly. Star gave her mother a sullen stare, who pretended not to notice, and, crossing over to the window, said,  
  
"It's so dark in here, why don't you open the curtains?" She moved to draw them.  
  
"No!" Star snapped, a little too sharply, and her mother started, looking alarmed.  
  
"Uhh, I'm putting up my stars, and I want to see how they look in the dark." She quickly snatched up her box of magic glowing stars, rattling them to back up her story.  
  
"Oh," said her mother, still looking slightly suspicious. But before she could say anything else, the doorbell rang. 


	2. The Boy NextDoor

1 Part 2  
  
"Star, answer the door, would you, please?" said her mother. Replacing her seemingly ever-present scowl, Star slouched out of her room and down the huge, sweeping marble staircase to the heavy, ornately carved mahogany front door, and pulled it open.  
  
Who should be smilingly waiting on the front porch, but the pale boy from the window next-door!  
  
Star's jaw dropped in an expression of shocked disbelief and irritation. "What do you want?" she demanded incredulously. The boy was undaunted.  
  
"I want to meet you!" he announced, grinning cheekily.  
  
"Tough." Star spat, and slammed the door in his face.  
  
"Who was it, Star?" asked her mother, descending the staircase. Star jumped guiltily. "Uhh, no one was there," she lied. "I think some little kids just rang the doorbell as a prank and ran off."  
  
'DING-DONG!' went the bell again. Star's face burned with guilt.  
  
Star!" her mother scolded, pushing her aside and opening the door again. There the boy still stood, still smiling. "Hello," the boy said brightly to Star's mother, pretending not to notice Star glowering at him from behind her. "I live next-door, at Malfoy Manor. I'm Draco Malfoy. I heard you have a daughter around my age?"  
  
Star's mother beamed delightedly. "Hel-lo, Draco!" she chirped. "Please, won't you come in?"  
  
'Please tell me this isn't happening,' Star thought as Draco stepped inside. She tried to escape to the haven of her room, but her mother caught her and made her stay. She lurked behind her.  
  
"A daughter your age, hmm?" her mother prattled. "You must mean Star." She dragged a struggling Star into further prominence. Draco stuck out his hand, grinning merrily. "Star," he said, "I am absolutely delighted to make your acquaintance!" Star gave him her hand, looking murderous. After shaking her hand, Draco planted an exaggerated kiss on the back of it.  
  
"Charmed!" he said quietly, giving Star a scandalizing wink that her mother couldn't see. He was clearly enjoying himself.  
  
Star's mother ate it up. "What a perfect gentleman!" she crowed. "So polite!" Draco smiled and lowered his eyes modestly. She turned to Star. "I know! Star, why don't you, take Draco upstairs, and show him your room!" she bubbled enthusiastically. "Draco, would you like Star to show you her room?"  
  
Star stepped behind her mother again, so she couldn't see her, but Draco could. She glared at him, emphatically shaking her head, No, NO!  
  
Draco stared fixedly at Star, who was now holding up her index finger to represent her holding a wand. Slowly and threateningly, she raised her finger to her temple, then jerked it back an inch to demonstrate the recoil of the imaginary wand as it went off. The message was very clear. Draco turned his attention back to Star's mother, and firmly declared that he would love for Star to show him her room. Star slapped her palm to her forehead. The nerve of this guy! Her mother turned to face her, and she quickly lowered her hand.  
  
"Well, Star? Go show Draco your room!" her mother said happily, perfectly oblivious to the fact that her daughter would sooner eat bubotuber pus than comply. "Go on, Star!" she prompted, giving Star an annoying little shove in Draco's direction, who was trying hard not to laugh. 


	3. On the Stairs

1 Part 3  
  
Star rushed up the stairs, eager to show him her room and get it over with. Halfway up, Draco caught up with her. Without warning, Star tripped near the top, and Draco instinctively reached out and caught her in his arms before she hit the stairs.  
  
"Woah, there, careful!" Draco said, good-naturedly. "Are you okay?" Star recoiled from Draco's touch as though he had burned her. "Ugh, get off me!" she shrieked, repulsed. She threw his arms off her and ran the rest of the way up the stairs without looking back; leaving Draco staring up after her, stunned, but still undiscouraged. 


	4. An Ugly American

1 Part 4  
  
The instant upon reaching her room, Star allowed Draco one brief glimpse of it before shoving him back out. "Okay, you've seen it. Now, go away," she said. But Draco brushed past her, gazing interestedly at the posters on her walls. "Who are these people?" he asked, pointing to them.  
  
The spent about fifteen minutes in Star's room, discussing the posters and the people they showed, and during that time, Draco watched Star open a tiny bit more. (He wouldn't say she got friendlier, exactly, but rather she got less hostile.)  
  
"Do you play Quidditch?" he asked her. Star nodded.  
  
"Got your own broom?"  
  
Another nod.  
  
"Well, then, how about coming to my house tomorrow, and we'll play one-on- one?" Draco suggested. Star felt like accepting-she loved Quidditch, and she needed to practice, and this guy seemed pretty nice-  
  
'But no,' she thought. She hated England, and she hated this house, and she hated this boy.  
  
Once again Star donned her usual scowl, and narrowed her eyes at Draco. "I don't think so," she said coldly.  
  
"Aww, c'mon, it'll be f-"  
  
"I think it's time for you to go." Star snapped, cutting Draco off.  
  
Draco studied her, insulted. "What's your problem, anyway?" he asked her, irritated. "I mean, I only want to be your friend, and all you do is insult me." Star bristled, but said nothing. Draco continued. "You should try adapting more instead of being an ugly American."  
  
Star flew up from her chair in a rage. "'Adapting'??" Do you know how many times I've had to 'adapt'? How many times have you had to move? You have no idea what I've been through!" she shrieked. "And as for the way I treat you, no one's making you stay-in fact, I recall specifically requesting that you did not come up here. So if you don't like it, you can leave!" she pointed to the door.  
  
Draco had had enough. He didn't need to be treated like this! "Good idea!" he snarled, and stormed out.  
  
Star watched him go, feeling relieved, yet at the same time strangely disappointed-she didn't know why. She lay down on her bed for a long time, contemplating the recent events; unknown to her, the pale, blond boy next door was doing the exact same thing. 


	5. The Garden

1 Part 5  
  
Star stepped out of the house, scowling. Her mother-insisting that Star needed fresh air and sunlight-had banished her outside for an hour. What the heck was she going to do for a whole hour?  
  
Star skulked around the house, finally entering the garden, hoping to find solace in the summer flowers.  
  
It was an uncommonly large garden, Star observed, looking around. Suddenly, she froze. An all-too familiar figure sat cross-legged on a smooth, flat rock, deeply absorbed in a book, the sun gleaming in his white-blond hair.  
  
Star remembered her father telling her that this house shared a garden with the next-door neighbors-she had completely forgotten. She turned as quietly as she could to go. A dry twig cracked loudly under her foot. Star cringed, the blond head snapped up.  
  
"Star!"  
  
She backed away.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Star made a mad dash for the garden door, but Draco was faster. He reached the door first, slamming shut and standing in front of her, blocking her escape.  
  
"Move!" Star demanded.  
  
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Draco asked her.  
  
"You never seemed to need my permission before," she retorted icily.  
  
Draco figured this was the closest he was going to get to a 'yes'.  
  
"Look," he said. "I'm really sorry about yesterday-about calling you an 'ugly American' and all. I shouldn't have said that," he paused. "And you were right. I don't have any idea what you've been through."  
  
Draco stopped, waiting, but it soon became evident that Star had no inclination to reply. She stood at the garden door, her face expressionless and completely indistinguishable.  
  
"I'm sorry," Draco repeated.  
  
Silence.  
  
Draco sighed. "Do you forgive me?" 


	6. Arizona

1 Part 6  
  
"Fine," Star said sharply. "I forgive you." Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, let me out." she added. Draco frowned.  
  
"Why won't you let me be your friend?" he asked. "It looks like you could use one." Star's expression softened. She looked as if she might cry. She quickly turned and sat down on the rock Draco had been reading on.  
  
"What's the point in making friends," she said quietly, "if my dad is just going to move me away again as soon as I get close to people?" she sighed heavily. "That's what he did to me in Arizona, and that's what he'll do to me here."  
  
This was the first time Draco had heard Star speak of her old home. He sat down beside her.  
  
"What's it like, Arizona?" he asked softly.  
  
"It's the most beautiful place in the world," she whispered after a moment of silence. "Some people think it's just a dead, colorless desert, but it's really not. The mountains are purple and pink and orange and blue-never brown. There are Saguaro cacti and palm trees all over, and some houses have gravel in their front yards instead of grass, that sparkle like diamonds in the sun." Star's throat felt tight. "There's seldom a cloud in the sky. It hardly ever rains, and when it does, it's wonderful warm rain, and only lasts an hour or so." A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"But I think I miss the sunsets the most." she said, her voice quavering. "At sunset, the entire west sky catches on fire, turning the color of the inside of a tangerine, or a grapefruit, blending into copper, then bronze, and gold. Any cloud turns pink, shot with silver. And when the palm trees are silhouetted just right against the sunset, it's so beautiful, you wish it would never end."  
  
Star drew in a shuddering breath. "But you know that the next night's sunset will be even better, so it's okay when it does."  
  
She doubled over, her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking.  
  
Draco tentatively put his arm around her, giving her an awkward pat on the shoulder.  
  
"It sounds wonderful," he whispered. 


	7. A Letter To Alex

1 Part 7  
  
It had been three days since Star's encounter with Draco in the garden. Star had made excuses-she wanted to rearrange her furniture, it was raining, she had a headache- to avoid being forced outside again. She was deeply embarrassed at her display of emotion in the garden, and didn't really want to see Draco, for fear that he might mention it.  
  
Star sat at her desk, writing a letter to her boyfriend, Alex. She wrote him every day.  
  
  
  
Dear Alex,  
  
I miss you. Maybe I can come and visit you for Christmas. Our new house is really big, and in an okay neighborhood. I even met a boy my age next-door.  
  
  
  
Star reflected for a moment, rereading the letter. She bit her lip. Taking up her wand, she magically erased the words "a boy", before replacing them with the word "someone".  
  
Satisfied, she bent to resume writing the letter, when she heard a "Tap…tap…tap…" on her window. She stood and drew the curtains. She looked out the window, and saw- 


	8. Quidditch OneOnOne

1 Part 8  
  
-Nothing. 'Weird,' thought Star, but she shrugged it off and sat down again to finish her letter.  
  
1.1 "Tap…tap…tap…"  
  
Frowning, Star got up again and looked out the window. Still nothing. 'Definitely weird.' She turned to sit back down.  
  
1.2 "Tap…tap...tap…"  
  
Star whirled around just in time to see a dark shape flit past her window and out of sight.  
  
"What the-"  
  
She approached the window warily, and opened it. Leaning out cautiously, she peered down, left, right—nothing.  
  
'This is way creepy,' Star thought. 'Something is really not righ—'  
  
"BOO!"  
  
Star screamed and jumped a foot into the air. Someone was laughing; Star looked up above the window to see Draco in danger of falling off his Nimbus 2001 broomstick from laughing.  
  
"Draco!" Star shrieked. She draped herself over the windowsill, panting, her heart pounding like a bass drum. "You jerk!" she cried, part relieved, part amused, and part just plain pissed.  
  
Draco was still laughing so hard that he slipped off his broom, hanging upside-down by his arms and legs, his normally pale face the colour of a tomato. Righting himself, he swerved closer to the window.  
  
"You should've seen the look on your face!" he cackled. Star took an angry swipe at him, just grazing his charcoal-grey robes as he spun out of reach, positively howling with laughter.  
  
It took him a while to compose himself again. Emitting one last guffaw, he crossed his arms and leaned forward, resting them on his broomstick handle.  
  
"So, how about that Quidditch one-on-one?" he grinned, and jerked his head in the direction of his backyard. "C'mon!"  
  
Star glared at him, doing her best not to crack a smile. He was really very cute, actually…  
  
She finally graced him with a smile—the first one she had ever given him—grabbed her broom and jumped out the window. 


	9. An Invitation

1 Part 9  
  
1.1 TWO WEEKS LATER…  
  
"So, how do you feel about starting school next week?" Draco said to Star as he walked her home after practicing Quidditch, (as had been their near- daily ritual since the window episode) their brooms over their shoulders.  
  
Star shrugged, her eyes downcast.  
  
"Excited? Worried? Nervous? Scared? Draco supplied.  
  
"I dunno…uh, well, sort of nervous, I guess." she shrugged again.  
  
"Well, don't worry," Draco looked at her innocently. "Just be your usual, charming, sun-shiney self, and everyone will just love you!" He laughed, dodging Star's broom as she swung it at his head.  
  
"Don't worry about that, Draco," Star said, adopting Draco's innocent expression. "I mean, there's no way anyone at Hogwarts can be even half as obnoxious as you."  
  
Draco dropped his broom and clutched at his heart, as though mortally wounded. He staggered around, emitting a series of apoplectic wheezing gasps, before finally collapsing spread-eagled to the ground, twitching.  
  
Star watched this rather interesting display serenely. She approached the still form, prodding it with her toe. He didn't move. Shaking her head amusedly, she muttered "Boys!" and stepped over Draco, who was suddenly revived, and grabbed Star's ankle, bringing her crashing down on top of him.  
  
Draco hurridly pushed Star off himself, pretending to be angry. "Arghh!" he cried. "What's your problem?? Here I am, lying down, minding my own business, when you just come up and jump on me!" He winced exaggeratedly, as he rubbed the spot on his ribs where Star's elbow had jabbed him when she fell. "You don't do that to people, okay? You could've really hurt me!"  
  
1.1.1 Star's jaw hung open in an expression of mingled fury and disbelief. "Why, you lying, little—!"  
  
She trailed off as she saw Draco shaking with silent laughter. She stared at him, bewildered, then closed her mouth and made a sound of disgust as she finally caught on. After a moment, she laughed, too.  
  
"I have to go," she said, picking up her broom and standing up. She left Draco where he lay.  
  
"Hey, Star!" Draco called after her, raising his head so he could see her better. She turned around.  
  
"What?"  
  
Draco took a breath. 'Here goes'. "You know the party I'm having at my house the night before school starts??"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
Another breath. "D'you want to go with me?"  
  
Star studied him. Her expression was indistinguishable from Draco's distance and vantage point.  
  
"Sure, okay."  
  
Star turned again and disappeared into her house. Draco heaved a huge sigh of relief, letting his head fall back to the earth. 


	10. Excuses

1 Part 10  
  
Star entered her house, going over in her mind the best excuses to not go to Draco's party. She had no idea what on earth had possessed her to say she would go with him. "What a jerk," she grumbled softly to herself. He had just sprung the question on her, and she had answered without thinking. And now that she had thought, she decided that she really didn't want to go, but it looked as if she had no other choice.  
  
Star climbed the stairs slowly. She had six days to come up with a conceivable story as to why she couldn't come.  
  
Maybe…maybe she could tell Draco that…that she had to do the dishes. Star administered a mental kick to herself. 'Don't be stupid,' she told herself severely. 'There's no way he'd believe that—dishes wouldn't take all night to finish, anyway.'  
  
Star continued to think.  
  
1.1 Five days to the party…  
  
Star stood before the mirror, practicing her story.  
  
"Draco, I can't come to your party, because I have to go to Diagon Alley- I'm nearly out of 'Owl Chow' for Orion…" she gestured vaguely toward her Great Horned owl in his cage.  
  
Star groaned, and ran a hand through her short, almost-black hair. 'He'll never buy it…'  
  
1.2  
  
1.3 Four days to the party…  
  
(To the mirror) Star said, "I have a cold," *cough!* "and I might be contagious." *cough-cough!* "I wouldn't want to pass it on to anyone at your party…" *cough!*  
  
1.4 Three days to the party…  
  
"My grandpa died…" *sniff* "I'm not really feeling up to a party…"  
  
1.5 Two days to the party…  
  
"I have to baby-sit my little brother…"  
  
None of these excuses seemed to work for Star, and she grew more anxious and irritable as the day of Draco's party drew nearer.  
  
The day of the party, Star woke up with a new story in her head, as if she had been mulling it over all night in her sleep.  
  
Once again, Star found herself before her mirror, rehearsing her lines:  
  
"My parents had this special 'night out' planned for me tonight; I didn't even know until-"  
  
"Star, come down for breakfast!" came her mother's call.  
  
"Alright, I'm coming!" Star yelled, irritated. She resumed rehearsing.  
  
"I didn't even know-they wanted to surprise me, I guess…" She shrugged her shoulders, trying to look disappointed.  
  
"STAR!" her mother screeched. "We are waiting!"  
  
"OKAY!" Star screeched back. 'Jeez, that woman's annoying!'  
  
1.5.1 She turned back to the mirror:  
  
1.5.2 "I'm really sorry, I wish-"  
  
"Star! If you are not down here in TEN SECONDS, you're not going to Draco's party!" her mother threatened.  
  
Star's eyes lit up. Her mother began the countdown. ("TEN!") Star moseyed out of her bedroom. ("NINE!") She ambled down the corridor. ("EIGHT!") She reached the staircase. ("SEVEN!") Star sat down on the top step, waiting. ("SIX! FIVE! FOUR!") On her mother's "THREE!" Star jumped to her feet making a lot of noise as she ran down the stairs. ("TWO!") She raced down the hall to the dining room, entering right after her mother had shouted "ONE!"  
  
"Sit down, Star," said her mother, not even looking up at her. "You can tell Draco you won't be attending his party after breakfast." Star pulled off a convincing expression of shock and disappointment.  
  
"But-" she stammered. "But I only got here just one second too late!"  
  
"I don't care, Star." Her mother snapped unfeelingly. "I gave you ten seconds, not eleven." Star willed her eyes to well up with tears.  
  
"That's not fair!" she cried shrilly.  
  
"I think it's perfectly fair," replied her mother calmly, buttering herself some toast.  
  
"But I promised Draco I'd come!" Star shrieked, rather enjoying her little debut.  
  
"Sorry." her mother retorted, sounding far from it. "Sit down, your eggs are getting cold."  
  
Star stamped her foot furiously, then ran from the room in a flurry of fake tears.  
  
Up in her room, Star was in an unusually good mood. She had pulled it off! She hummed happily to herself as she stroked Orion, pacing back and forth in front of the window.  
  
She heard a tapping on her window-Draco was magically drumming on it from his own window, to get her attention. Star crossed over to it, and pushed it open, Orion took flight from her arm and disappeared from sight.  
  
"Hey!" Draco called to her, smiling.  
  
"Hey," Star answered, looking glum.  
  
Draco didn't notice, however, and said, "What are you wearing to the party tonight?"  
  
"Nothing," Star answered.  
  
Draco grinned. "Well, that'll cause a sensation, for I'll dress to match!"  
  
*Star's mother was just passing by her daughter's door in time to hear a sniffle, and voices.*  
  
"I can't go," Star said.  
  
"What do you mean?" said Draco.  
  
"I got in trouble, and now my mom won't let me go."  
  
"Are serious? Man, that's rough…"  
  
"Yeah…but I deserve it, though, not being able to go…" *sniff*  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I did something really bad…"  
  
Star's mother couldn't take it anymore. She stepped into Star's room.  
  
"Star?" she said. "I think you've learned your lesson. I'm going to let you go to Draco's party."  
  
Star's jaw hit the floor. Her mother, mistaking it for a look of surprised joy, went on.  
  
That's right, you've acted very grown-up about this, accepting the blame the way you did…"  
  
Star couldn't believe her ears.  
  
"So!" Her mother said, clapping her hands together briskly. "Let's get you ready for this party, shall we?" 


	11. The Party

1 Part 11  
  
Star stepped out of her house-not surprisingly—scowling. 'My mother has got to be the stupidest person who has ever walked this earth.' she thought darkly. Her mother had bought Star brand-new robes for the occasion, done her nails and helped her with her hair.  
  
It was already dark by the time Star was ready. She started out across the huge, grassy expanse between her and Draco's house. Her eyes were just beginning to adjust, when she collided into something solid.  
  
"Ouch!" said a familiar voice.  
  
"Who's there?" Star asked, already knowing the answer; she could see Draco's ill-defined outline through the gloom.  
  
"Star!" she heard Draco's voice say, sounding surprised. "I was just coming over to get you!"  
  
"I'm so glad you did," Star said sarcastically. "you know how treacherous these front lawns can be!"  
  
"Yeah, I know!" Draco said in an equally sarcastic tone. "It's lucky I came along, so I can protect you from the myriad of posing front-lawn threats!" He offered Star his arm, which she took, laughing.  
  
The two crossed from Star's dark lawn, into Draco's slightly larger, brightly lit one. As they approached his house, Star could hear loud music, and saw different-coloured lights strobing and roving about the widows, and spilling out the opened front double-doors.  
  
"Don't your parents get annoyed by all the noise?" Star asked Draco in wonder. She knew her parents would.  
  
"Nah, they're spending the night out of town," Draco answered with a grin. Star's eyes widened.  
  
"Do they know you're having a party?" she asked, aghast.  
  
"'Course they do," Draco replied. "That's why they're out of town!" He laughed, winking conspiratorially. He led Star inside, took her cloak and hung it up for her.  
  
Star had been inside Draco's house twice before, once when Star's family had gone over to meet the Malfoys, and again when Draco had needed to go inside to have a house-elf magically heal a a deep gash in his shoulder- acquired after taking a spill off his broom and landing on a sharp rock during one of their Quidditch one-on-ones.  
  
Both times strongly reminded Star of visiting a museum. Malfoy Manor was very beautiful, very large, very cold, and put Star under the impression that she couldn't touch anything.  
  
But tonight, the mansion looked quite different. Star saw at least a hundred guys and girls her age standing in little knots all over, chatting, laughing, eating, drinking, dancing, and, some couples, in a few dark corners here and there, making out. She felt very shy all of a sudden.  
  
Draco led Star to several groups of friends, introducing her to them. They were all in Slytherin House. (Draco had explained to her the four Hogwarts Houses a few days before.) Star noticed a pug-faced girl watching her every move, her dark, unpleasant eyes following her wherever she went. The girl and a number of other people (who looked no friendlier) approached her, taking advantage of Draco's absence as he left her to get them drinks. 


	12. Pansy

1 Part 12  
  
"I'm Pansy Parkinson," the pug-faced girl said.  
  
Star eyed her suspiciously. "Star Sumner." she replied.  
  
"You're that new American girl, aren't you?" said the pug-face girl. Star nodded warily, as the girl's friends circled around her. "People have been talking a lot since Draco started hanging out with you. Draco's disappointed quite a few of his girls by going with you, tonight," the girl said, sneering meanly. Her friends knitted a tighter circle around Star.  
  
Star refused to show any fear. She tossed her head back, looking defiantly into the girl's eyes. She smiled sweetly, and said in a honeyed voice, "And are you one of those girls, Pansy?"  
  
Pansy's face turned beet-red; the look of outrage on her face was evidence that Star had hit far too close to the mark for her comfort. Pansy signaled to her cronies; Star shrank from them.  
  
The sound of a throat being cleared distracted Pansy's cronies; Draco was back.  
  
"Draco!" Pansy shrieked, trying not to look guilty. "Great party, I was just saying to your charming friend, Star, here, that you've really outdone yourself this year, I mean this DJ is simply to die for, don't you think, and-OH! I just love this song, *slow song begins* wanna dance?" She got it all out in one breath.  
  
While most guys would have felt considerably harassed by this fearful onslaught, Draco remained cool and unaffected.  
  
"Sorry, Pansy," he replied smoothly. "But I promised my first dance to Star. Erm, maybe later, okay?"  
  
Pansy's eyes gave a brief flicker of disappointment, and then it was gone. "Oh, of course!" she practically screamed. "Sure! Don't worry about me! Go right on ahead! But save a dance for me, all right?"  
  
"Don't count on it," Draco muttered under his breath.  
  
"Sorry, what's that?" said Pansy, leaning closer.  
  
"I said, 'You can count on it!'" Draco said quickly, a little louder.  
  
"Oh, GREAT!" Pansy sang out shrilly, causing Draco to take a few steps back, and Star to flinch. "Well, then, I'll see you later! Bye Draco!" Pansy screeched, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Star feeling strangely drained.  
  
Draco lowered his face into his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing. "Jeeze, that girl's a pain in the neck! She gives me a headache."  
  
"Sort of a violent pounding between the eyes?" Star suggested.  
  
Draco's head jerked up, and he stared at her in amazement.  
  
"Yes, exactly! How'd you kn-?"  
  
Star gave Draco a pained smile, and pressed her own hand to her forehead. Draco's expression slid into a comprehending grin.  
  
"Anyway, er, d'you want to dance?" he asked, looking over his shoulder into the crowd. "Pansy'll be wondering why we're not dancing; she'll know I lied just so I wouldn't have to dance with her." he smiled briefly.  
  
Star allowed him to take her arm and lead her into the room serving as a dance floor.  
  
"Why is she following you around in the first place?" Star asked Draco as he slid his arm around her waist, and they began to dance. Draco reddened.  
  
"Uhh, well…we, uh, sort of—went out last year," he said, embarassed.  
  
"'Sort of'?" asked Star.  
  
"All right, we did go out!" Draco snapped irritably. Star reared back slightly from him, alarmed. Immediately, Draco lowered his voice. "I'm sorry," he said penitently. "Looks like Pansy still brings out the worst in me." 


	13. A Nasty Shock

Part 13  
  
Two hours later, Draco's friend, Marcus Flint, suggested playing "7 Minutes in Heaven". Marcus was explaining how the game worked.  
  
"Right, all the girls pick a number from this hat, and all the guys choose a number from this hat," he ws saying. "Then each guy finds what girl has his matching number, and then he takes her into that closet, there, *points* for seven minutes."  
  
"And does what?" Goyle grunted.  
  
Here Flint gave Goyle his very best 'you-are-such-an-idiot' look. "And he snogs her, Goyle!" he said exasperated. "Do I have to spell it out for you?"  
  
"You wanna play?" Draco asked Star, grinning broadly. Star blushed furiously.  
  
"No, I don't think so," she mumbled quietly.  
  
"Aww, c'mon, Star!" said Marcus. "We need one more girl to make it even."  
  
Star heard Pansy Parkinson whisper loudly to Millicent Bulstrode, "What is it with Americans that makes them think they're always better than us?"  
  
Draco smiled, and lowered his voice so that the others wouldn't hear, "What's the matter—you scared?"  
  
It was a combination of these three that made Star relent, and join the game.  
  
"Okay, then, pass around the hats, girls choose out of the blue one, guys out of the black one. Now! No one says what number they've got until it's his turn!" Marcus directed as he distributed the hats into the crowd.  
  
The hats were passed around, when it was passed to her, Star withdrew a scrap of parchment with a number scrawled on it. She quickly folded it and stufed it into her robes pocket, afraid to look at it.  
  
"Draco, you can go first," said Marcus.  
  
"Me?!?" Draco said, looking surprised.  
  
"Well, sure, it's your party," Marcus reasoned, so Draco shrugged, and, stepping forward, read off his number:  
  
"One."  
  
A high-pitched squeal erupted from the crowd; someone was fighting tooth and nail to get to the front. "Me! Me! I have 1!" she shrieked excitedly, brandishing her slip of parchment in the air, and jumping up and down and grinning like a ditzy Muggle cheerleader. The crowd parted. Draco's heart sank, as Pansy Parkinson, all smiles, and making eyes at Draco, stepped forward. 


	14. Off The Hook

Part 14  
  
Draco had to work hard to conceal his horror and repulse. Marcus stepped behind Draco and read the number from over his shoulder.  
  
"No, that's a seven, mate, not one," Marcus said to Draco. "Sorry, I wrote it sort of sloppy. But, see, look-" Marcus took the slip of parchment from Pansy, and showed it to Draco. "See, that's how I write my ones. So, er, sorry, Pansy!" he said cheerfully to her, who sat down in a nearby chair, looking as though Christmas had been cancelled.  
  
"So, who's got seven?" Marcus called out to the girls in a businesslike tone.  
  
All the girls checked their parchments. Star took hers out, and unfolded it. She looked down at it, and saw the number… 


	15. A SerendipityDooDah

Part 15  
  
…Seven.  
  
  
  
Star's jaw went slack. It was so serendipidous, she felt like laughing—except that…well—it wasn't funny. She barely took in what was going on around her; the girls were all buzzing to see who had seven. A girl she didn't know happened to glance at Star's scrap of parchment, and let out a gasp.  
  
"Look, look! She's got seven! See? This girl has seven!" the girl squealed.  
  
Star felt a dozen manicured hands press into the small of her back, pushing her to the front of the crowd.  
  
Draco heard a gasp from the back of the crowd of girls, followed by a small commotion. The crowd churned, and, like a wave, it rolled from the back to the front, where it spit out a small form, her face so red, Draco could almost feel the heat radiating from her.  
  
The girl raised her head.  
  
It was Star.  
  
Draco's eyes widened, and his face went as red as hers. He gave Star a weak, embarassed sort of smile, followed her into the pitch-black closet, and closed the door behind them. 


	16. Awkward 'Goodnight's

Part 16  
  
"So, did you have fun?" Draco said to Star as he walked her home after the party that night.  
  
Unbidden, the memory of their seven minutes in the closet came flooding back to Star as she half-lied, "Yes."  
  
"Yeah, me too," Draco said after a minute or so. They walked on in silence.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express," said Draco, as they neared Star's doorstep.  
  
"Yeah, see you," Star replied.  
  
As she turned to go inside, Draco said, "I'll save you a seat!"  
  
It was more of a question than a statement.  
  
Star turned around, taken off guard. "What-oh! Um…okay, sure."  
  
"Er, right…"  
  
They stood looking at each other, both feeling very stupid. Draco turned to go.  
  
"Uh, Draco?" Star blurted out, before she could stop herself. He turned.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Star fidgeted visibly. "Your party—uh, in the closet, I mean…" her face burned. Draco waited. "The closet, um…I don't—I mean, it didn't mean…it doesn't change-…"  
  
Draco nodded, avoiding eye contact with her. "Oh. Right."  
  
"Sooo…are we ok? I mean-we're still-?"  
  
Draco grinned, and shrugged. "It never happened." He said, with a dismissive wave of his hand.  
  
"Okay…uh, well…goodnight." Star said, relieved.  
  
"Yeah…goodnight." 


	17. King's Cross, And Pansy's '7 Minute' Par...

Part 17  
  
  
  
September 1st dawned sunny, but raw and chilly, promising rain.  
  
Star and her mother arrived at King's Cross ten minutes early.  
  
"What platform are you supposed to be at, Star?" her mother asked.  
  
"Nine and three-quarters," Star answered.  
  
"Okay, Nine and three-quarters…" her mother mused, passing Platform Nine, then Ten, then doubling back to halt somewhere between the two.  
  
"I don't see it, do you?" Star asked.  
  
"Star!" shouted a familiar voice. Star turned, Draco was running toward her, pushing his trolley. Star watched him draw nearer, but he didn't stop. He just kept running at the brick wall between Platform Nine and Ten.  
  
'Is he crazy??' Star thought as Draco jumped onto the back of his trolley and whizzed past her. He grinned at her.  
  
"Follow me!" he yelled, just as he hit the barrier-but the funny thing was, he never hit it. He had simply gone through the barrier.  
  
Star stood there for a full thirty seconds, stunned. Then, she did the only thing she could do- followed Draco's advice. Taking her trolley, and tossing a "Bye!" over her shoulder to her mother, started to run at the barrier. But instead of hitting the wall, she simply slipped through it, just like Draco had.  
  
Star found herself before a scarlet steam engine. Behind her was a wrought- iron archway that said Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, right where the barrier had been. The entire platform was packed with boys and girls all with trolleys.  
  
"About time," Star jumped and whirled around. Draco was a few yards away, leaning on his trolley, grinning. "I was just about to go back and get you!" Star made a face at him.  
  
"C'mon," he said. "I've got us a compartment saved." He helped load her trunk and Orion's cage into the compartment, then loaded his own. They sat down, Crabbe and Goyle were already there.  
  
"Do they have to sit with us?" Star whispered. "They give me the creeps."  
  
Draco promptly turned to his cronies.  
  
"Crabbe, Goyle," he said to them. "Find somewhere else to sit, this time." They stood and filed out of the compartment, looking completely unoffended.  
  
A moment after they left, the compartment door slid open, and Pansy Parkinson peered in.  
  
"Oh, hi, Draco! I didn't know anyone was in here! Mind if I sit with you?" she squealed, completely ignoring Star's presence.  
  
"Oh, darn, Pansy!" Draco said, looking disappointed. "I would love for you to sit with us, but Crabbe and Goyle are sitting here."  
  
Pansy's pug face fell. "Oh…" then she brightened. "Well, next time, then!" she shrieked, and then was gone, leaving Star and Draco with that familiar drained feeling.  
  
"Hey, I almost forgot to ask," Star said to Draco presently. "At your party, when we played 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'…" she blushed. "Who did Pansy really end up with?"  
  
Draco let out a snort, and began to giggle uncontrollably, doubled over in his seat. Star's eyes widened as she stared at him, bewildered.  
  
"What?" she said. "Who was it?" Draco opened his mouth, but no sound came out-he was laughing too hard.  
  
"C'mon, tell me!" Star demended, her curiosity now peaked.  
  
Draco sat back, the back of one hand across his mouth, still shaking with silent laughter. Fighting to keep a straight face, he finally composed himself enough to whisper the name,  
  
"Goyle!" before collapsing into another fit of snorts.  
  
Star snorted too, and was soon overcome with giggles, and started Draco laughing again just as he was calming down.  
  
The train picked up speed. Draco and Star spent a good ten minutes laughing. Just as one was just beginning to sober, the other would snort, "Goyle!" and that would set the other one off. 


	18. The Bespectacled, WildHaired Boy

Part 18  
  
Draco and Star whiled away the time on the Hogwarts Express by playing Exploding Snap.  
  
"So what house do you think you'll be in, Star?" said Draco, leaning as far back as he could, before gingerly tossing a card onto the deck, in case it exploded.  
  
"I dunno.what were they, again?" Star asked. "Slytherin, Ravenclaw.Grif- something.?"  
  
"Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," Draco finished for her.  
  
"Right," said Star. "Umm, I really don't know which one I'll be in. I mean, I have characteristic from each house, so." she trailed off as a loud clattering was heard out in the corridor. Their compartment door slid open, and a plump, dimpled witch smiled in at them.  
  
"Anything off the cart?" she asked.  
  
Draco stood up and bought an assortment of junkfood. The smiling witch turned to Star, and said,  
  
"Anything for you, dear?"  
  
"I don't have any gold on me," Star answered, shaking her head. The witch turned to go.  
  
"Hang on," Draco said to her, then turned to Star. "What d'you want?" he asked her, "My treat."  
  
"No," Star mumbled, her face red. "I couldn't let you-"  
  
Draco ignored her protest, and bought another of everything he'd gotten for himself. The witch slid the door shut and clattered away. Draco turned and dumped the lot onto Star's lap.  
  
"Draco!" she cried, half-pleased, half-miffed. "Arrgh, you jerk!"  
  
"You're welcome!" Draco grinned. He sat back down across from her, looking pleased with himself.  
  
"Ugh, you are so annoying!" she said, glaring at him, but she was smiling. After a moment, she rolled her eyes, muttering an embarassed ".Thanks."  
  
Draco dismissed this with a wave of his hand, much the same way he would shoo away a troublesome fly. "Forget it."  
  
They sat, and Draco told Star all about Hogwarts, and how great it was to be in Slytherin. Presently, he stood up and stretched.  
  
"I'm going to see how Crabbe and Goyle are doing," he told Star. "Wanna come?"  
  
"No, I'll stay here," she said. Draco left, leaving the compartment door open.  
  
Star had started reading Hogwarts, A History, when she heard a "Ribbit!" Looking up from the book, a fat toad hopped into the compartment, croaking noisily.  
  
"Hi, there!" Star said, picking the toad up and setting it on her lap. "Where'd you come from?"  
  
A moment later, a skinny boy with a mop of wild, jet-black hair and glasses, followed by a round-faced boy who looked on the verge of tears, entered Star's compartment.  
  
"Excuse us," the wild-haired boy said. "But have you seen a toad around here?"  
  
"Is this him?" Star asked, holding the toad out.  
  
"Trevor!" the round-faced boy cried happily, holding out his hands. Star handed Trevor over. The wild-haired boy stuck his head out into the corridor.  
  
"We've got him!" the boy yelled, then turned to Star.  
  
"I'm Harry Potter, and this is Neville Longbottom," the boy said, motioning to the round-faced boy beside him.  
  
"I'm Star Sumner," Star replied. She shook hands with Harry and Neville.  
  
Footsteps were heard thumping up the corridor. A bushy-haired girl and a tall boy with flaming red hair and a long nose entered.  
  
"Oh, good, Neville, you found him!" the girl said, looking relieved.  
  
"Where was he?" the red-headed boy asked.  
  
"He was in here," Star said.  
  
Harry introduced Star to the boy and girl. "Star, this is Ron Weasley," he said, gesturing to the boy, "And this is Hermione Granger," now pointing to the girl. "Ron, Hermione, this is Star Sumner." he said to them. Star shook hands with them, too.  
  
"You're American, right?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm from Arizona." Star answered.  
  
"Cool," Harry said. "How long have you been h-"  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
The five whirled around. Draco stood in the doorway, his eyes like chips of blue ice.  
  
"Are these people bothering you, Star?" Draco asked.  
  
They weren't, of course, but before Star could say anything, Harry said,  
  
"I think we should go." He beckoned to the other three. "'Bye, Star. See you around!" He called over his shoulder, ignoring Draco.  
  
"'Bye," Star said to Harry and the others as they filed out of the compartment. 


	19. A Bad Lot

Part 19  
  
Draco closed the compartment door and sat down, putting his feet up.  
  
"You don't want to be hanging out with that sort of crowd," Draco said, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could about it. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Star. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."  
  
Star looked toward the door, as if she could still see them there.  
  
"They seemed pretty nice to me," she said skeptically.  
  
"Trust me-they're a bad lot." Draco said. "You'd do best to stay clear of them."  
  
"Oh," said Star, frowning. "Okay." She sat down beside Draco and they resumed their game of Exploding Snap.  
  
An hour later found Star and Draco's game finished, conversation died down. Rain drummed down on the window. Draco was re-reading 'Quidditch Through The Ages', and Star was bored of 'Hogwarts, A History'. She scooted to the edge of her seat and leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her. Resting her head back, she gazed at the window, at the sheets of silver rain cascading down the glass.  
  
She blinked sleepily. 


	20. The Dream

Part 20  
  
  
  
She was hurtling through the air on her broomstick at breakneck speed. Raindrops pelted her face and arms like bullets as she tried to keep up with-with.with what? She didn't know. All she knew was that she couldn't lose the dark shape flitting in and out of sight just ahead of her.The black form flew over a sleepy little town swathed in fog, nestled snugly between two green mountains. It circled once, twice, then dove down into it. Star pursued, urging her broomstick on.The shape made a beeline for a small purple house surrounded by a white picket fence on the edge of the town. It stopped, and Star saw the shape clearly for the first time.A man, skeletally thin, dressed in long flowing black velvet robes. He kicked down the door and swept inside. Star circled the house before landing on the side lawn-for some reason, afraid to go inside. She peered in a window, voices were coming from that room, but their owners were just out of sight.  
  
  
  
"Where is Black?" a high, cold voice hissed.  
  
"I don't know!" cried a frightened woman's voice.  
  
"Don't lie to me, woman." the cold voice said. "Tell me.Tell me, and I will spare you-and the child."  
  
"I tell you-I don't know!" the woman let out a sob. "He just left." Another sob. "I don't know where he is!"  
  
"The blood-chilling voice sounded again, "I grow weary of these games.this is your last chance-tell me where Black is, or the child dies!"  
  
"No!" the woman shrieked. "Not my baby! Have mercy, Lord! Have mercy!"  
  
"Get out of the way!" the cruel voice snarled, "Stand aside."  
  
"No! No! I won't let you!"  
  
"Then you leave me no choice."  
  
"NO! Please, no!"  
  
"Avada Kedavra!"  
  
  
  
A blast of green light exploded within the room, and poured out the window, blinding Star, and blasting her several feet into the air. She struck her head against a tree, and slid to the ground in a heap.  
  
The world was spinning.Star fought desperately to stay conscious, struggled to keep off the dark blanket threatening to overcome her.  
  
Exhausted, she finally gave up, and submitted herself to blackness. 


End file.
